Sexual Offences in Hospitals (FOI 2487A/25 )
Request
for each calendar year from 2019 to 2024, and for 2025 to date:
- The number of reports of rape recorded by West Midlands Police where the reported location was a hospital.
- The number of reports of sexual assault recorded by West Midlands Police where the reported location was a hospital.
- A breakdown of the sexual assault reports by offence sub-category.
- Of the reports in points 1 and 2, how many were reported specifically as having taken place on a hospital ward.
- How many individuals were charged with rape or sexual assault in relation to the incidents captured in the above questions.
If possible, please provide a breakdown of the offences for the main NHS Hospitals in Birmingham: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Birmingham City Hospital,
We clarified with you on 26th November 2025, and you replied on 3rd December 2025.
- Where you have asked for ‘sexual assault’, please can you clarify if you are only asking for the offence title of sexual assault, or are you additionally asking for other sexual offences? If so, please specify these – Asking for all sexual offences. Please may you provide the number of sexual offences recorded, split into any available sub-categories (such as rape, sexual assault, sexual activity with minors, etc.)
- Please also clarify whether you are asking for all hospitals (using the hospital location marker) or are you only asking for the NHS hospitals listed in your request? If so, please provide the full postal address of these to enable us to search our systems – Happy to ask for all hospitals as per the hospital location marker. If available please provide a breakdown by Local Policing Area i.e. Birmingham – but not essential if not possible.
On 22/12/2025 we answered with a cost offer.
On 16.1.2026 you replied:
I would like to remove question 4 from this request as suggested.
Your amended request reads.
Q1: The number of reports of rape recorded by West Midlands Police where the reported location was a hospital.
Q2: The number of reports of sexual assault recorded by West Midlands Police where the reported location was a hospital.
Q3: A breakdown of the sexual assault reports by offence sub-category.
Q4: How many individuals were charged with rape or sexual assault in relation to the incidents captured in the above questions.
Response
Q1: The number of recorded crimes of rape recorded by West Midlands Police where the reported location was a hospital.
Q2: The number of recorded crimes of sexual assault recorded by West Midlands Police where the reported location was a hospital.
Please note the search criteria is location as hospital/hospice (unable to split).
Please note that not all these offences may have occurred at the hospital / hospice. For example, an individual may have been bought into hospital because of a rape, however the individual did not know where the rape had occurred, therefore the location would be recorded as hospital as it was reported at that location. Also, a person may be in hospital for a separate medical issue and then disclose a historical rape.
|
Offence Sub Class |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Rape |
47 |
58 |
73 |
77 |
63 |
318 |
|
Other sexual offences |
62 |
87 |
67 |
131 |
124 |
471 |
Q3: A breakdown of the sexual assault reports by offence sub-category.
|
Offence Category |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Abuse of children through sexual exploit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Causing sexual activity without consent |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
5 |
|
Exposure and voyeurism |
8 |
8 |
11 |
19 |
28 |
74 |
|
Other misc sexual offences |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Rape of a female aged 16 and over |
26 |
37 |
52 |
57 |
40 |
212 |
|
Rape of a female child under 13 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
|
Rape of a female child under 16 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
|
Rape of a male aged 16 and over |
16 |
19 |
18 |
14 |
19 |
86 |
|
Rape of a male child under 13 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
Rape of a male child under 16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Sex activity with a personal mental disorder |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
11 |
|
Sexual activity child under 13 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Sexual activity child under 16 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
|
Sexual assault on a female 13 or over |
46 |
65 |
41 |
87 |
71 |
310 |
|
Sexual assault on a female child under 13 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
|
Sexual assault on a male 13 and over |
4 |
9 |
7 |
13 |
13 |
46 |
|
Sexual assault on a male child under 13 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
|
Sexual grooming |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Unnatural sexual offences |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Q4: How many individuals were charged with rape or sexual assault in relation to the recorded crimes captured in the above questions.
|
Offence Category | Offence Sub Class |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Rape |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Rape of a female child under 16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Other sexual offences |
5 |
2 |
4 |
13 |
8 |
32 |
|
Exposure and voyeurism |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
Sexual activity child under 16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Sexual assault on a f 13 or over |
5 |
1 |
3 |
12 |
6 |
27 |
Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that this data has been extracted from a number of data sources used by forces for police purposes. The detail collected to respond specifically to your request may be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Consequently, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are considered when interpreting the data.
The figures provided therefore are our best interpretation of data which has relevance to your request, but you should be aware that the collation of figures for ad hoc requests may have limitations and this should be considered when those data are used.
If you decide to write an article / use the enclosed data we would ask you to take into consideration the factors highlighted in this document so as to not mislead members of the public or official bodies or misrepresent the relevance of the whole or any part of this disclosed material.
Rape and sexual assaults are some of the worst crimes that are committed. They leave a lifetime of hurt for survivors and their loved ones. They’re also some of the most challenging to investigate. This is reflected in the number of charges brought against suspects, across the UK.
We and other police forces know we’ve got to do more to get even more offenders brought to justice. Our partners in The Crown Prosecution Service recognise this too and we’re all working together to do better.
We record allegations of rape at the earliest opportunity before an investigation has been carried out. This can include third party reports where after further enquiries no offence is found to have occurred.
At the heart of this are the survivors and the organisations we work with to support them through a really difficult time. If you’ve been a victim, speak to us. You will be listened to and we will believe you. If you’re a perpetrator, know that we’ll do everything in our power to prosecute you.